A guide for people new to social media

With over half the world’s population registered on social media, if you are not using it, you may feel like you’ve missed the boat and it’s too late to start.

Not true!

This guide is for people and businesses who are new to social media and supplies some hints and tips on how to get the most out of it.

Choose your platform

There are a number of social media platforms. Don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t have to be on all of them, or even be aware of them. Chat to your friends and find out what networks they use and what they use them for. You’ll get a feel for them and can then make an informed decision about where you think you’ll feel most comfortable, and what you might want to engage with on social media.

Create your profile

Once you’ve chosen your platform, it’s time to set up you profile. This is the place people will find out about you. It will include your profile picture. There might also be an opportunity to write a short introduction about you. Think about what you want to share, it’s important that you are comfortable with what you share and don’t overshare.

Connect with people you know

The best place to start is to connect with people you already know. Your real life friends are likely to be on social media, so connect with them. You will begin to get suggestions of people you might know. If you like, you can connect with those too. You might also want to connect with companies and brands that you use. These connections will then build your news feed on your social media platform.

Create content

Once you have had a look around your social platform and had a good look at what your friends are posting, it’s time to start writing posts yourself. Think about what you want to say. You might want to give an update, ask a question, or share something. Be brave, put something out there and see what reactions you get.

Get involved in conversations

As well as putting content out there, the value of social media is that it is a two-way form of communication. Like and comment on other people’s posts, engage with them as you would in the real world. Stay social and friendly. It really is a great way to connect.

Be patient

Like any new skill, it takes a while. Be patient. It will take a while for you to find your way around, learn the best way to post, find your voice and build genuine connections. Take your time and keep showing up.

Social media isn’t a bit, scary world. It’s like anything, you just need to find out how to use it and work out if it will work for you. Once you’ve done that, social media can be a beneficial place to hang out and enhance your connections and your business